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Jenny (Reading Envy)'s Reviews > Assassination Vacation
Assassination Vacation
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Somehow I listened to this entire audiobook in two days. I felt burned by politics and somehow in my head this translated to - more politics! I thought reading about assassinations might be... refreshing.
Enter Sarah Vowell with her strange voice, and a host of stories of informational plaques that she visited around the country, and other monuments to assassination attempts. There is a lot on Lincoln, but I still learned some tidbits. Did you know it is likely President Lincoln was laughing when he was shot?
The last chapter had an interesting intersection with other books I've read, such as The Most Dangerous Book: The Battle for James Joyce's Ulysses, because it focused in on Emma Goldman, the delightful anarchist who was greatly feared in her time. Not a president, but definitely political, and assassination attempts going both ways.
This is well researched, she makes obscurity interesting, and it was a nice diversion from the present day.
My only disappointment with the audiobook is that the cover makes it seem like the other voices will have prominent roles, but they are only very occasionally brought in to read a quotation. I would have loved to hear less Vowell and more Conan O'Brien, Stephen King, and Jon Stewart. That said her voice is definitely distinct.
Enter Sarah Vowell with her strange voice, and a host of stories of informational plaques that she visited around the country, and other monuments to assassination attempts. There is a lot on Lincoln, but I still learned some tidbits. Did you know it is likely President Lincoln was laughing when he was shot?
The last chapter had an interesting intersection with other books I've read, such as The Most Dangerous Book: The Battle for James Joyce's Ulysses, because it focused in on Emma Goldman, the delightful anarchist who was greatly feared in her time. Not a president, but definitely political, and assassination attempts going both ways.
This is well researched, she makes obscurity interesting, and it was a nice diversion from the present day.
My only disappointment with the audiobook is that the cover makes it seem like the other voices will have prominent roles, but they are only very occasionally brought in to read a quotation. I would have loved to hear less Vowell and more Conan O'Brien, Stephen King, and Jon Stewart. That said her voice is definitely distinct.
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Shawn
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rated it 2 stars
Nov 13, 2016 02:00PM
Great review � I've wanted to read this book for years and years! Now I may finally get to it thanks to you�
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I love Sarah Vowell, she's so irreverent. She knows how to dig for facts that make history interesting.
It is an interested read today during the Trump administrative chaos, especially knowing that Vowell wrote it during (and laments often about) the G.W.Bush chaos. I often have to remind myself that it's a different now-president/boob she is referring to. I'm often tempted to say aloud, "Oh, just you wait 10 years, Sarah honey. It gets even worse and far far weirder."
Kelly wrote: "It is an interested read today during the Trump administrative chaos, especially knowing that Vowell wrote it during (and laments often about) the G.W.Bush chaos. I often have to remind myself that..."I wonder if we’ll see more from her soon?
Gosh, I hope so, Jenny! I would love to hear her take. Sometimes you have to laugh to keep from crying.
